"Jesus in My Heart'

Putting my granddaughter Faith to bed after story and prayer I said, "God bless you." Faith replied, "You don't have to bless me, I have Jesus in my heart." Age 5

Jesus Died. Jesus Rose!

In our school community, which has the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd integrated into the classrooms, the children come from a variety of religious backgrounds. Once a year we gather in a nearby church for a special liturgy.

As we settled into our pews, one four-year-old boy pointed up to the crucified Jesus on the cross above the altar. He leaned over to a five-year-old boy and whispered, "Hey look! Jesus died!"

The second boy whispered back, "Yea. But He Rose."

Feasting on love

During a discussion of the words said at the Breaking of the Bread: "Therefore let us keep the feast, Alleluia", Nicole, 8, had this to add: "Therefore let us keep the feast--don't you understand? We've been feasting on love! It's a feast! That's the kind of feast you WANT to keep in your heart. So much love."

Jesus' Heart was Broken in Two

After a presentation on the Breaking of the Bread during Eucharist, as five-year-old said,
"Jesus' heart was broken in two. Then he shared it with everybody. Not just one or two people. EVERYBODY."

The Good Shepherd goes on a Picnic

Taryn, just turned 6, worked with the Good Shepherd material. She moved the sheep out of the fold, then moved the Good Shepherd back into the fold. She told the adult, "He's taking them on a picnic." Adult: "And he has left them outside the fold?" Taryn: "He has gone to get them something to eat...He is bringing them bread and wine." She moved the Good Shepherd to each sheep in turn.

(This atrium did not have the Eucharistic Presence of the Good Shepherd material which links the Good Shepherd with the Eurachist presence. Taryn had neer seen it, nor heard any talk connecting the Good Shepherd to Eucharist, but made the connection herself.)